With its pleasant mountain landscapes, charming small towns and vibrant big cities where you can breathe lovely local culture and admire the accomplishments of ancient cultures, Italy is a welcoming tourism destination with all the possibilities in the world to make you enjoy your holiday. With Italy it does not matter whether you are planning to explore the treasures of the Roman Empire, to attend a cooking course, to ski in the Alps or test local hiking trails, or to shop products from the foremost names of the fashion world. Italy offers this all and a lot more!
Destinations for nature holiday. Apart from interesting cities, Italy has also natural attractions and outdoor sport facilities to offer. You could try skiing or trekking in Aosta Valley, visit Lake Garda or Lake Como with their spectacular mountain scenery and active outdoor facilities, or see Tuscany with its world-famous landscapes, rich culinary tradition, the historical sights of Florence and the leaning tower of Pisa. Also Sardinia with its beaches and Trieste with its caves and nearby mountains and vineyards is an interesting choice. The toe of the boot country, Calabria, is also a good choice for nature-based travel. L'Aquila and Gran Sasso in Central Italy provide excellent facilities for mountains sports as well.
For culture lovers. The unique cultural world and fascinating landscapes of Sicily are quite interesting, and the cultural and historical attractions of Naples and the buried town of Pompeii have a lot to offer. Also the spectacular Amalfi Coast nearby is a good choice for a holiday destination. Nature lovers might also want to see the cultural landscapes of the five seaside villages of Cinque Terre near the city of Genoa, or enjoy the astonishing caves and seaside nature of the scenic island of Capri. The dramatic mountain landscapes of the Dolomites are another highly popular place to be experienced in Italy.
Hospitality, varied landscapes and famous cities: Italy's attractions
Italy's attractions are countless. The charming capital of Italy, Rome offers numerous interesting historical sites such as the Colosseum, and is the center of the Roman Catholic church. Among other popular Italian cities you will find Milan, the fashion city with its cultural marvels, Venice with its charming canals and unique romantic atmosphere, Bologna with its unique cuisine, and Rimini with the excellent beaches and modern shopping facilities. Also the city of Romeo and Juliet, Verona and Turin with world-class museums are definitely worth a visit.Destinations for nature holiday. Apart from interesting cities, Italy has also natural attractions and outdoor sport facilities to offer. You could try skiing or trekking in Aosta Valley, visit Lake Garda or Lake Como with their spectacular mountain scenery and active outdoor facilities, or see Tuscany with its world-famous landscapes, rich culinary tradition, the historical sights of Florence and the leaning tower of Pisa. Also Sardinia with its beaches and Trieste with its caves and nearby mountains and vineyards is an interesting choice. The toe of the boot country, Calabria, is also a good choice for nature-based travel. L'Aquila and Gran Sasso in Central Italy provide excellent facilities for mountains sports as well.
For culture lovers. The unique cultural world and fascinating landscapes of Sicily are quite interesting, and the cultural and historical attractions of Naples and the buried town of Pompeii have a lot to offer. Also the spectacular Amalfi Coast nearby is a good choice for a holiday destination. Nature lovers might also want to see the cultural landscapes of the five seaside villages of Cinque Terre near the city of Genoa, or enjoy the astonishing caves and seaside nature of the scenic island of Capri. The dramatic mountain landscapes of the Dolomites are another highly popular place to be experienced in Italy.
History and culture of Italy
Italy is home to the famous ancient civilizations of Etruscans and Romans. Once the central part of the Roman Empire, for whom contemporary Western civilization owns a lot, Italy was also the home of the European Renaissance. From the days of the mighty Roman Empire, through the city states of the Middle Age and the blooming Renaissance era, the modern Italy was found as a Kingdom in the mid-1800s. After turbulent years of Fascism and World War II, Italy found democracy and economic growth, and is today a wealthy member of the European Union.
Photo: Roby Ferrari, used under Creative Commons License (By SA 2.0)
Modern day culture. Italy's history is filled with interesting stories which all have left their mark in the present day cultural heritage of this popular tourist county. Modern day Italian culture is that of open-minded and welcoming city people, who are social and enjoy well-off living conditions. One of the many interesting features of local culture is that food and eating play an important role in Italian culture. Thanks to that the country has a famous national kitchen the product of which can be enjoyed in charming traditional restaurants all over the country.
Practical information for your trip to Italy
Weather in Italy is generally warm in the summer, with over 30 degrees Celsius high temperatures expected. Winter temperatures in Italy vary depending on location, with coolest temperatures found in high mountain locations such as the Italian Alps and Dolomites in the North, and the Apennines in central Italy. Unless you come for skiing, the best time to visit Italy is the summer. However, this is also the busiest season for tourism in Italy.Tourist services are generally very good throughout the country, English is usually spoken by those people working in tourism industry, and public transport in Italy works efficiently. Flights to this famous tourist country are widely available from all around the world, in addition to which Italy is also easily reachable from the neighboring countries by road or train. The main international airports in Italy are in Rome and Milan. Although it has also large cities with crime problems, Italy is a safe destination suitable also to families with small children.
hint See also these nearby destinations: L'Aquila and Gran Sasso, Rome, Vatican City (Holy See), Naples
